Special Populations Articles

Gain instant access to articles on special populations from IDEA's award-winning publications.

client: Dana | personal trainer: Michael Piercy, owner, The Lab | location: West Caldwell, New Jersey
Injury. When Michael Piercy, owner of The Lab (Performance & Sports Science), first met Dana in the summer of 2008, she presented with a rare condition described by doctors as “functional movement disorder.” According to The Lancet Neurology (2012; 11 [3], 250–60), functional movement disorders are included in a wide spectrum of neurological disorders and are difficult to both diagnose and treat.

Two years ago I became a mother, reaching a mile marker in womanhood that set me apart from other personal trainers who had not experienced the challenges of pregnancy or postpregnancy body woes. I found out just what it took to make healthy decisions every day. With each trimester, I learned new ways to cope with ever-changing levels of energy, hunger, motivation and, most of all, hormones.

Studies have shown that seated desk work can have negative health and mobility repercussions as we age. A new study suggests that physically demanding jobs can also impact function later in life.
The study included 5,200 public sector employees participating in the Finnish Longitudinal Study on Municipal Employees. The primary purpose of the study was to understand the impact of leisure-time physical activity (LPA) and occupational physical activity (OPA) on mobility limitations among older adults.

Here’s more incentive to encourage boys to minimize computer use. A new study presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases, in Seville, Spain, in April, draws a link between screen time and diminished bone mineral density.
The research, published in Osteoporosis International With Other Metabolic Bone Diseases (2014; 25 [s2]), included 1,038 Norwegian boys and girls aged 15–18.

In honor of Men's Health Month we have put together IDEA's top articles related to men's health. Learn how vigorous exercise can help men protect their hearts, why offering male-only weight loss programs is important and why middle-aged men should be extra wary of their cholesterol levels.
3 Hours Of Exercise Per Week Cuts Men’s Heart Health Risk

Speak with enough personal trainers at the start of their careers and you’ll quickly notice a common aspiration: They want to train professional athletes. Of course it’s fine to dream big, but it’s important to remember that professional athletes are extremely rare individuals. Consequently, pro athletes are neither as numerous nor as varied in age, gender or ability as everyday adult athletes.

The use of drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorders among American children and adults is growing, with over 3 million Americans currently managing symptoms by taking stimulants that target the neurochemical dopamine. Effective nondrug methods are needed to help young adults with ADHD. In addition, healthy young people ought to have ways to improve attention without using performance-enhancing drugs.

Mind-body teaching professionals should consider reaching out to more teens, since mindful practices often effectively reduce stress. In 2013, the Stress in AmericaTM survey included teens for the first time (n = 1,018) and found that stress among this age group is rising, with negative consequences for both schoolwork and home life. American teens—from as young as 13 years old— reported unhealthy levels of stress, lack of certainty regarding stress management techniques, and rising levels of stress symptoms that adversely impact health.

As obesity continues to maintain a stranglehold on the teenage population, experts search for solutions to the potentially fatal disease. When it comes to exercise, a combination of cardiovascular and strength training is best, according to researchers from São Paulo.